Trial: Part 5 in the Loophole Series
by Floridianfan
Summary: The Universe has given them another opportunity, but every opportunity comes with unique circumstances and the potential for heartbreak. Maya wants to escape reality but Josh is determined to correct their past mistakes...
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Back to my little darlings Josh and Maya with this next installment of their story in the Loophole Series!**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

 _Trial: noun, the hearing and judgment of a case in court; an experiment to test quality, value, or usefulness; a test of faith, patience, or strength_

Part I

Friday February 9, 2018

Josh paced the Matthews den rubbing his hands together with anxious energy. He was ready to make his case to the jury; he just didn't know how they would rule. The four older adults sat on the couch and watched him curiously. Josh had called this assembly with something "important" to say.

"Josh, what is it? Why are we here?" Cory asked, breaking the awkward silence.

Josh let out a deep breath and stood as confidently as he could "I want to take Maya on a date."

The four responses were exclaimed at the same time: "No Way!"/"Finally!"/"What?!"/"Is that all?"

Of course these replies weren't exactly a _surprise_ to Josh. In fact he mentally gave himself a 'pat on the back' for knowing them all so well. If he could predict their responses it meant he might have a chance getting them to buy into his logic.

For example, Shawn's "No Way" was completely expected. Shawn had basically been in Maya's family as a "father figure" for years now. Of course Shawn would object. Secondly, Katy's "Finally" was almost a comfort to him. As Maya grew closer to her mother of course they would talk about boys and relationships, especially with the ups and downs they had experienced the past few years. The fact that she seemed to be in support of them moving forward meant Maya had talked about him in detail, and his ego could use the boost right now.

Cory was always predictable. His brothers "What" was a typical response from him, always with a flair for the drama. And finally (and thankfully of course) Topanga was the steady, calm voice of reason. He knew Cory had told her about Maya last year, and he had seen his sister-in-law give him regular 'knowing' looks for months now. Josh was glad he had prepared for their initial responses, though he wasn't sure how the rest of the conversation would go.

As Katy and Topanga tried to sooth their overprotective partners Josh remembered that all of this had to be worth it. He was doing the right thing, wasn't he?

 _Earlier_

" _No no no. No way! That's the whole point of the loophole, Josh. We don't_ _need permission_ _to be together. Remember?" Maya said vehemently as she stomped around his dorm room, throwing her hands in the air._

 _Josh had to fight the urge to smirk at how cute she was when she was in a huff. For someone so pint-sized she was a force of nature. It only reaffirmed that he wanted to do this the right way. She…they were worth the effort. He knew grinning goofily at her outrage would not help win her over to reason though, so he tried to remain comforting and calm in his demeanor._

" _Doesn't mean I don't want it, Maya. I want to do this right. Remember this summer? I'm not going to have you be some secret again. I'm doing it" he insisted._

 _She continued to storm around his room "Joshua Matthews you are so frustrating! Ugh! The Universe has given us this_ _perfect_ _opportunity once again and you're going to ruin it! If you don't want to be with me then just say so!"_

 _Josh slowly walked to her and grabbed both of her hands with his own "Maya, stop. You know I want to be with you. I just want it to be the right way. Remember when you were younger and I came by Cory's to tell them about the NYU summer program?"_

 _Maya rolled her eyes and nodded, continuing to stare at the ground in between them. She preferred not to think about the time in her life when he basically rejected her on a semi-consistent basis._

" _What does that have to do with anything?" she asked grumpily._

" _Remember who else was there? Lucas. He came to ask Cory for permission to go on a date with Riley."_

" _Seriously? Josh, that's a stupid, old tradition. Who does that?"_

" _I do! Well, at least, I want to. I want to be that kind of guy for you, Maya. I want you to know you deserve to have someone do that for you. I'm doing it" Josh said wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her head._

 _She slumped into him and mumbled "But it's stupid. Stupid stupid tradition."_

 _Josh smiled above her "Maybe. But I'm doing it. Decision's made. I already called Cory."_

" _What if they say no?" she asked quietly, slight insecurity creeping into her tone._

 _He spoke reassuringly, stroking her blonde locks as he continued to hold her "Hey! Don't underestimate my powers of persuasion, Gorgeous. I can make a pretty good case. Besides, I'm only asking for a date. What could go wrong?"_

" _Famous last words, Matthews" she warned._

'Famous last words' Josh repeated to himself as he watched the adults in front of him squabble like children. He caught Cory shouting "Not Ready!" like a toddler, and he even thought he heard an "Over my dead body!" from Shawn in there…what a mess. Maybe he was in over his head here. Still though, he had to regain control of the room.

Josh let out a loud whistle that shocked the others to silence as they gaped at him.

"You have a lot of nerve, little Matthews" Shawn said "Whistling at me like a dog is not gonna help your cause."

Josh smiled sheepishly "Just needed your attention. I'm here to ask you all for permission to go on a date with Maya. One date. You're all the adults in her life so I'm asking all of you."

Crickets chirping could have been heard over the resulting silence in the room.

"Well, it's about damn time!" Katy said with a southern drawl, breaking into the quiet.

"Katy!" Shawn protested.

"Shawn Hunter, you listen to me. That little girl is _my_ daughter, and you can't POSSIBLY understand how long she has waited for this. A mother KNOWS, Shawn. And if you don't get over your over-protective hang-ups, then I will smash a plate over your head. You know I'll do it too" Maya's mother said forcefully. Shawn visibly gulped and gave a small nod.

'Like mother, like daughter' Josh thought with a smile. He had one approval down, three to go.

"But he's _three years older_ than her!" Shawn argued.

"Shawn, don't be ridiculous. She's 17 and he's 19. The age difference isn't an issue anymore" Topanga interrupted and said with so much lawyer-like confidence that the argument lost any standing. Josh could just imagine her bringing trial attorneys to their knees in the courtroom with that kind of persuasiveness.

"Topy?" Cory said in childish tone which made Josh roll his eyes.

"Cory, you knew this was going to happen eventually. Girls grow up. Riley's with Lucas and you haven't lost her, have you? You won't lose Maya either. Let her go on the date" Topanga said convincingly.

"Sooooo is that a yes?" Josh asked hopefully, forcing their attention back to him.

All four gave varying affirmative responses with differing levels of enthusiasm, but the unanimous yes was all he really needed.

"Great! I'll be on my way then" Josh said as he turned to leave the apartment.

"Joshie…" Cory called out, stopping him "I know you're my little brother but if you hurt that girl I will let Shawn loose on you."

Shawn nodded positively at the idea.

"Noted" Josh said assuredly with a nod. They obviously needed to feel macho so, fine, he would let them think he took their warning as anything other than ridiculous. Hurting Maya Hart was the last thing he ever wanted to do again.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **A/N: Gawwww I have missed writing for these two. I can't believe this is the 7**_ _ **th**_ _ **(!) story in this series that was originally a "cute little one-shot"…whoops? Seriously, thanks so much for sticking with it. As long as y'all remain interested I will be able to keep going…so please review if you are!**_

 _ **Up Next: One reader will be VERY EXCITED for this (you know who you are) the return of ANDREW! And my sad attempts at "bro-talk"…wish me luck :)**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N Thanks so much for the positive feedback! Reviews make my day and let me know you're still interested…**_

 _ **Warning: This chapter contains underage drinking (not Maya, don't worry!) and a little bit of profanity. I mean Josh is in college so…**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

Part II

Saturday February 10, 1:00 am

Maya tossed and turned in the dark as she tried to fall asleep in her best friend's room. It shouldn't be that difficult a task, she had spent almost as many nights here as in her own room at home, but sleep didn't come easily. She always had the hardest time sleeping when she was nervous or excited. This time, she was both. Unfortunately the fact that her trundle was attached to Riley's bed meant she kept her best friend up as well.

"Maya, are you nervous?" Riley asked into the dark.

Maya answered shakily "Nervous? Why would I be nervous? It's just a date. We've gone on dates before, Riley."

"But this is _so_ different. He asked permission! That's a big deal. This is like your first _real_ real date with him."

Maya gulped and released a deep breath "Riles, what if it's a mistake?"

Riley turned and faced her "What? Maya, you have been waiting for this, like, forever!"

"What if we only work as a couple like we were before? We sort of had this 'alternate reality' thing going and now he's gone and made it…I don't know. Real?"

"It wasn't real to you before? Come on Maya I know you" Riley said confidently.

"No, I know, and it was real before. It's just…the whole 'escape from reality' thing made being together so much easier. Now there are parents involved, and friends, and… I don't know 'real life' stuff? I'm not making any sense. Sorry."

"Maya, what are you afraid of?" Riley cut to the heart of the issue.

"Well, when we were together before, we got to ignore all the other stuff and just be 'Josh and Maya'" Maya answered "And I guess now that it's out in the open we can't do that anymore."

Riley continued to be confused "You're worried that 'real life' stuff is going to make him change his mind?"

"I don't know. Maybe?"

Suddenly the root of Maya's insecurity was clear "Maya, are you worried that you're not enough? That's ridiculous!"

"Is it? You know what they say about 'vacation flings' and, like, no one from those romance reality shows you watch ever stays together in real life, Riles. When reality hits, they're just not strong enough. What if that happens to us?"

"Ignoring challenges doesn't make them go away, Maya. It's a temporary solution. Besides, you and Josh are nothing like those couple's on _The Bachelor_. You've known each other forever! You _fit_ " Riley reasoned.

"You think so?" Maya asked, slightly reassured by her best friend.

"Um, hello! There's no WAY I would entertain the possibility of you being my AUNT one day if I didn't" Riley answered.

"Whoa, Riles, it's a date. One step at a time, Honey" Maya said with a smile.

"Maya's in love" Riley sing-songed, causing Maya to throw a pillow at her. The two friends laughed the tension away.

"Feel better now, Peaches?" Riley asked sleepily.

"I guess. I don't know. I haven't heard from him all night, Riles. He said he would call about tomorrow" Maya said worriedly.

"It's Andrew's 21st Birthday, Maya. He HAD to go to the party, he told you that" Riley said rationally.

"I know, but that's the kind of thing I can't experience with him, 'college life' type things. What if there's some slutty sorority girl hitting on him and gets drunk and-"

"Maya, stop!" Riley interrupted her "You can think of a million different scenarios but in the end you'll just worry yourself sick. You know I'm right."

Maya's phone lit up beside her and she answered quickly when she saw it the caller's name.

"Josh?" she asked.

"Maya, hey girl! It's Andrew and Jasmine" she heard a loud voice boom at her with a girly "Hey, Maya!" in the background.

"Oh, um, hey. Happy Birthday, by the way?" Maya said confusedly.

"Thanks! It was epic, in large part due to your boy here. I took his phone away once we started drinking. It's this thing we do so that we don't send chicks drunk texts. Ow! Jasmine, I don't do it anymore, baby. Stop the violence."

Maya had to contain a laugh as she imagined Jasmine smacking his head.

"Anyway we just dropped Josh off at his dorm room. He's…kind of passed out. Which is my fault, by the way so, don't take it out on him, okay? I made him my 'Birthday Bitch' so every time someone bought me a drink that I didn't want-"

"Or didn't NEED because you were already DRUNK" Maya heard Jasmine correct in the background.

"Yeah, that. It was Josh's job to drink it. And he's a total lightweight. So he needed an earlier night than the rest of us. BUT he made me promise to call you if he wasn't awake to do it. We're going to head back out, but Josh is safe and sound, okay?" Andrew said.

"Yeah, thanks for calling, Andrew" Maya said with a smile as they both hung up.

"See? Odysseus is as loyal as ever to his fair Penelope. Well, Josh is at least. Odysseus was kind of a dog" Riley said loopily.

"Go to bed, you goof" Maya said with a chuckle. She found it a little easier to fall asleep after that.

 _ **A/N Little bit of a filler that I was going to do as flashbacks, but there was so much dialogue it made more sense for me as its own chapter.**_

 _ **Special note, lest I offended any readers: I meant no ill will by the term 'slutty sorority girl' as I, yes I, was in a sorority. Maya was just feeling a little insecure.**_

 _ **Has anyone gotten the gist of the story as it relates to the title? Just curious if my wacko brain is making sense.**_

 _ **Up Next: Josh, Maya, and more Andrew!**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N Just a little fluff to show my appreciation for your positive feedback and reviews. Also because I realized this is a Joshaya fic that has had very little Joshaya so far…so here you go!**_

 _ **Dedicated to Holly who was so encouraging yesterday when she found me on twitter! I'm nanfromflorida if you want to find me over there :)**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

Part III

Saturday February 10, 8:00 am

Josh Matthews felt like he had been hit by a truck. He'd had the occasional hangover, sure, but this was an entirely different story. How was it possible for both your stomach and head to feel so much pain at the same time? He mentally cursed Andrew naming him 'Birthday Bitch' as he slowly drifted in and out of consciousness.

"Knock knock" his foggy brain processed an angelic voice speaking from his doorway "Rise and shine, Joshua!"

His eyes focused in on the most beautiful face he had ever seen. Hangover and all, this was a pretty awesome way to be woken up. He could even be more of a morning person if it meant seeing her bright smile first thing, perched next to him like that.

"Maya?" he said groggily "What are you doing here? Crap! I didn't call you last night, I'm so sorry I can exp-"

"Shhhh" she put a finger on his lips to silence him "Andrew called me, no worries. He said you had quite the 'epic' night...I also got the impression you might not feel 100% today. Is it okay I'm here?"

"Always, Maya. I may be crap for company this morning but I always want you here."

She smiled brightly "Good answer! Riley and I spent our morning researching and YOU get to reap the benefits."

"What?"

"' _Riley and Maya's Hangover Survival Kit_ ' of course" she answered.

Maya pulled out a box she had obviously decorated herself. She reached in and grabbed a small bottle of pills and water.

"Take these first, it's Motrin. They say not to take Tylenol and this will help with the headache."

Josh nodded obediently. He'd never quite gotten the appeal of the fantasy 'hot nurse' before, but he was totally sold right now.

She continued "Okay, now how is your stomach? Do you feel like food?"

The thought of eating made Josh visibly cringe and he groaned.

"Well, that answers that then! You need more sleep" Maya said as she reached behind him to straighten out his pillows and pulled the covers over him.

"You just got here-"Josh protested, but his eyes felt heavy, and the thought of more sleep seemed pretty tempting right now.

Maya spoke in a firm but gentle tone"Josh, the only thing that helps right now is sleep. Now finish that bottle of water and go to sleep. I'm not going anywhere."

"Then come here" Josh said as he pulled her onto the bed with him and she cuddled at his side. He bent his head down to kiss her.

"Nope, not yet, Matthews. No kisses until you are feeling better. You need sleep" she said with a smile as she grabbed the water bottle and forced him to take a few sips.

Josh pouted "But-"

Maya rolled her eyes "Would it help if I sang you a lullaby, Joshie?"

"Yes please?" Josh answered in a pathetic, helpless voice.

"Okay fine, you big baby. Now lie back" she instructed as she propped herself on her side next to him and used her free hand to smooth out some of the hair on his forehead soothingly. She continued with a hypnotist impression "You are getting verrrrry sleepy."

Josh was going to protest but the way she was caressing his forehead with her fingers was working miracles. As his mind began to relax he heard her sing in a gentle voice, almost a whisper

 _Wise men say only fools rush in_

 _But I can't help falling in love with you_

 _Shall I stay? Would it be a sin?_

 _If I can't help falling in love with you_

 _Like a river flows gently to the sea_

 _Darling, so it goes, somethings were meant to be_

 _Take my hand, take my whole life too_

 _For I can't help falling in love with you_

The last thought Josh had before he drifted off was that being sung to sleep by Maya Hart was a pretty awesome way to go to bed.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **A/N: I know I promised more Andrew, he comes back next chapter. And there is bro talk. I just wanted to give y'all a little present for being so great with your reviews and feedback.**_

 _ **Maya's lullaby is "Only Fools Rush In" by Elvis Presley, most famously, but it has a million covers. Sabrina herself inspired the choice because she sang it on her Instagram account as one of her "Music Mondays" with the VERY caption I quoted, "You are getting verrrrry sleepy" LOL. It's beautiful, check it out. Her Instagram name is sabrinacarpenter and the video was 14 weeks ago (Instagram doesn't do dates they do 'weeks ago' it's weird)**_

 _ **There is a semi-reference to a very popular book series here, did you catch it? 5 points!**_

 _ **Hangovers are the worst. Make good choices :)**_

 _ **Up Next: My lame attempts at bro-talk!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N Sorry it has been a while, life has been busy! Happy February everyone! Season 3 production has begun and the first live taping is tomorrow! They promised us more Josh so let's celebrate with a little JoshxMaya, shall we?**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

Part IV

Saturday February 10, 10:00 am

Josh woke up feeling worlds better than he had a few hours ago. Only two thoughts suddenly bothered him. First, he was famished. Yes his headache was gone and he no longer felt like throwing up, but that nausea was replaced with the desire to eat absolutely anything to fuel his body. Once the baser instincts registered, the other realization was that he was alone. The beautiful angel who put him to sleep was now conspicuously absent. And, he seemed to recall, she promised to not leave. Josh began to feel disappointed when his room's door was flung open.

Andrew carried bags of food and greeted him with a booming voice "Hey, Sleeping Beauty is awake! Perfect timing!"

"He is? Great!" said the angelic voice he had been missing. He had wondered if he drooled in his sleep and scared her off or something.

"Hey there!" Jasmine entered last, also carrying a bag of food. She closed the door behind her.

Maya put down her tray of coffees, walked over to him and asked with concern "Are you feeling better? Headache? Stomachache?"

"Much better, thanks to you. Headache is gone and the only message my stomach is sending me right now is 'feed me now or I will die'" Josh said with a smile, holding her hand.

"Excellent! Told you I did my research" Maya said with a confident smirk "I enlisted these guys to help with the next part of your recovery. Doctors are dubious about it, but coffee and greasy foods are absolute _musts_ to cure hangovers, according to the masses."

"'The masses' are right. I'm starving. It's like you read my mind or something" Josh said with relief as they sat on the floor around his coffee table and dug in.

"Besides, I figured Andrew kind of owed you one" Maya said with a smile.

Andrew protested with mock outrage "It wasn't me! It was the 'Birthday Bitch' code. I can't help it if he's a lightweight."

"Dude, you were completely playing it up. Just know I'll pay you back when I turn 21" Josh warned.

Maya noted "Yes, Joshua, interesting. I wonder how a certain older brother would feel if he knew about this underage drinking…"

Josh froze mid-chew and he asked with a full mouth "Wha-?"

Maya's serious face fell as she started laughing "Oh come on, Josh. Remember my wild party girl days? You literally held my hair back a time or two, I think. Fifteen year old rebel Maya?"

"Wow I completely forgot about that. That seems like forever ago" Josh said with wide eyes, realizing they were so different now.

"Well it was. And I grew up" Maya said with sweet smile to him.

"I noticed" Josh said as their eyes locked and they felt the ever present pull between them.

"Dude! Eating here! I'd say get a room, but we're kind of in it right now" Andrew interrupted, and they looked away embarrassed.

Jasmine reached over and smacked her boyfriend "Andrew! They're adorable."

"Baby, what did I say about stopping the violence?" Andrew questioned before leaning towards her and kissing her cheek.

"Dude! Eating here!" Josh said, mocking his closest friend. The four laughed as they continued to devour food.

Maya was surprised how easy it was to be around Josh in his element. There was no weirdness that she was too young or still in high school, she was just _Maya_. She then remembered she was the same age Josh was when she crashed the dorm party all those years ago. Her younger self didn't realize the long and difficult road those feelings would lead her down.

"So, Maya, what's new with you?" Jasmine asked "Are you looking at colleges? I know that Charlotte and I kind of forced NYU on you all those years ago, but that was just so that we could teach Josh a lesson about dismissing people's feelings."

"Lesson learned! You know I actually worried you guys would somehow follow through on your threat to tell 'every NYU girl' to stay away from me? God, I was such a tool. How did you even like me back then?" he asked, turning to Maya.

She chuckled "Well you looked pretty cute in a beanie."

The ensuing laugh of the group almost caused Maya to forget Jasmine's question, but now was as good a time as any to address something she had been keeping from Josh.

"Um, actually I may be a student here earlier than I thought" Maya said vaguely.

"What do you mean?" Josh asked.

Maya continued "Well, they cut school funding for the arts again, this time at the high school level. All arts classes have been removed from the curriculum."

"What? That's ridiculous!" Josh exclaimed "Maya, they can't do that! Let's do that thing you did before and fix this. I won't let them do that to you!"

Maya reached over and grabbed his hand, then held it in her lap "We tried Josh. You don't always win every battle. We tried everything and it wasn't enough."

The soothing way she was using her finger to invisibly paint pictures on his palm was very calming. It distracted him from his anger. Josh felt the tension leave his body and his shoulders slump as he leaned back against the edge of his futon.

"So, what does that have to do with NYU?" Andrew interrupted the sweet exchange, earning an exaggerated eye-roll from Jasmine.

"Oh! Yeah, sorry. Well our school has sort of reached a compromise. They will give credits for arts courses taken, they just don't have the money to offer them and employ the teachers. So they made a deal that would allow upper classmen to enroll in college arts classes and the credits would count for both high school and college. Kind of like how AP classes are considered college-level and most places give you credit for them? This is like that, except of course, they actually ARE college classes."

"That's amazing Maya! When do you start?" Jasmine asked.

"This fall, I hope. There is a stipulation that we have to pay for the courses but I talked with my mom about it, and Shawn is going to help. I'm going to use my money from the bakery to buy the books and supplies. I'm doing one class at first, but maybe in the spring I can do more. We get excused absence from school for it. Obviously NYU is the most logical choice, being closest to home and school, so I am hoping to enroll here" Maya answered with a shy smile.

"Also because other schools SUCK" Andrew said, voice full of NYU pride.

"Well that too" Maya nodded. She hesitantly looked at Josh for a reaction.

He looked at her and gently squeezed her hand "When were you going to tell me?"

"I don't know. It all kind of just happened, and I thought maybe it would be a nice surprise for your birthday or something?" Maya asked hesitantly.

Josh responded "Maya, you sound worried. Did you think I wouldn't want this?"

"Well, Andrew and I should be going now!" Jasmine interrupted, sensing this would be a good time to leave the two alone " _So_ great to see you Maya we should hang out again soon!"

Jasmine pulled her boyfriend behind her, doing Josh a favor by taking all the trash and remnants from the meal with them. Josh and Maya were left alone with the question hanging in the air.

"That was _such_ a good breakfast. I'm stuffed. Are you feeling better now?" Maya asked as she stood and stretched.

Josh stood as well but grabbed her hand and pulled her to sit with him on the futon. She curled into his side as he draped an arm over her shoulder.

"Maya, seriously. Why were you worried to tell me?" Josh asked, playing with the ends of her hair that rested on the shoulder he held.

"I wasn't really _worried_. I don't know. I guess I just didn't want you to feel like I was suffocating you or 'infringing' on your space or anything. NYU has always been your thing, but even before you went here I kind of 'forced' my way in."

"What, the dorm party? Maya, we talked that out years ago" Josh said reassuringly.

"Not just that, Josh. The acceptance letter, your entire freshman year, Lydia...I just worry I may be keeping you from really experiencing college or holding you back or something" she confessed and looked down.

"Um, pretty sure I am getting the full college experience here, Gorgeous. Hangovers and all" he joked and squeezed her shoulder, earning a smile.

"So you'll be okay if I'm here a little sooner than you thought?" she asked.

Josh leaned down and kissed her fully, showing her _exactly_ how okay he was with the proposition.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **Hope my little explanation of the school credits thing made sense. I personally benefitted from a number of AP classes counting as college credits. It's totally worth the work, kiddos! LOL**_

 _ **Special Note: I think the original idea for Andrew and Jasmine as a couple came from Brown Eyes Parker (Casual Observers) and it kind of subconsciously became canon in my head after that. So this cute couple is due to her :)**_

 _ **Up Next: More fluff and more doubt, because she's Maya 'Hope is for Suckers' Hart…**_


	5. Chapter 5

**_A/N Just a little fluff to warm your hearts :)_**

 _ **Enjoy!**_

Part V

Saturday February 10, 4:00 PM

Maya climbed through Riley's bedroom window carrying a heavy tote bag stuffed with clothes and accessories. She tossed the bag down in a huff and ran to her best friend's closet. Nothing looked good. Nothing fit. Every outfit she tried on made her look like she was 12 years old for some reason. Tonight was important, she told herself. She couldn't mess this up.

 _Earlier_

 _They spent hours drifting between sleep and wake as they cuddled, napped, and watched Netflix (the proper form of 'Netflix and Chill' of course). They slept off the large breakfast they consumed and Josh finished recovering from his 'epic' hangover. Once they were well rested and restored Josh took her on a tour of campus in the early afternoon. Maya realized she must have looked like an idiot grinning the way she did, but it was as if she was floating on air when he showed her THEIR school (he insisted she start considering herself a student)._

 _Holding hands they walked the art department and student life facilities. When Josh would encounter someone he knew, he introduced her without hesitation. True, he didn't claim her as his_ _girlfriend_ _, but at least he didn't drop her hand in embarrassment or anything. This whole 'dating in public' thing was still new and they weren't really at the point of defining what they were anyways._

 _Mid-afternoon Josh walked Maya home, saying that he would pick her up at Cory's at 6:30. Maya protested the separation but he insisted, saying "I asked permission because you're worth it. Let me see if I can plan a date that shows you that too." It was hard to argue with him when he was being so utterly romantic._

"Hello to you too, Peaches!" Riley had been lying on top of her bed flipping through a magazine when the blonde tornado invaded her space.

Maya's voice answered from deep within the closet "Riley, NOTHING looks right on me. Do you have that sparkle top I can borrow?"

"Maya your clothes are _totally_ more stylish than mine. What are you freaking out about?" Riley asked, pulling Maya to sit on the bay window.

"It's tonight" Maya answered impatiently.

"Ohhhhh, the date! Maya, you're beautiful. Josh loves you. Anything you wear will be great" she said reassuringly.

Maya slumped with a pout. She was being one of those ridiculous teen girls who freaked out over clothes. She mocked those girls. Now she was one of them. All because of Joshua Matthews.

Luckily, best friends _always_ provide the voice of reason in times like these and Maya was almost completely satisfied with her choices when the time came for him to pick her up.

Josh stood nervously outside his brother's apartment. He wasn't sure why he knocked. Usually he would just barge in without a care, but tonight seemed very "knock-worthy" for some reason. Cory opened the door and looked at him wearily.

"My brotha'" he said and gave a hesitant hug, during which he whispered "Please don't hurt her."

Josh nodded and stood back before saying "Cory, we're good. I promise."

Cory then asked "Josh, why did you want to pick her up here?"

Josh patted him on the arm and responded "Because if Maya and agree on anything, it's how much this family means to us" causing Cory's eyes to water.

Josh entered the apartment and saw yesterday's tribunal seated as they were during his deposition. They all gave various forms of acknowledgement, from sullen (Shawn) to genial (Topanga). Katy looked like she was about to cry when she heard Maya walk into the room and Josh swore he heard her whisper "Baby Girl" under her breath.

Maya managed to take his breath away once again. He knew he wouldn't be able to recall the color of the dress she wore, if she wore her hair up or down, or even what kind of shoes she had on. Knowing Maya, whatever she wore was meticulously chosen with her artist's eyes. The details would never register though, because he couldn't look away from her radiant, smiling face. She could have worn a burlap sack and he wouldn't have noticed.

He unconsciously walked towards her, the pull between them working its magic. She stopped in front of him and slowly lifted her head, so her blue eyes peered through her long lashes and eventually met his gaze.

"Well, Matthews, you clean up nice. Sorry I kept you waiting."

"Totally worth the wait, Maya" Josh replied with meaning. He had to force himself not to lean down and capture her lips with his in that moment, but he was mindful of the multiple sets of eyes fixated on the couple.

Josh ushered Maya out the door quickly after they said their good-byes. Once outside on the stoop he turned to her, grabbed her coat lapels, pulled her to him, and kissed her with gusto, leaving her breathless. She stood dazed.

Josh smirked at her expression " _That_ was for almost getting me beat up back there, Gorgeous."

"Yes indeed I have very much learned my lesson, Joshua" she said in a sarcastically serious tone with a nod.

The young couple then held hands and headed into the night.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **I hope you enjoyed it! I really do like reviews *hint hint* they motivate me to update faster :)**_

 _ **Up Next: the date!**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N ANOTHER chapter?! Who am I?! Just kidding…thank you for all the positive reviews and feedback. I hope to keep you feeling happy Joshaya feels for a little bit longer…**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

Part VI

Josh took Maya to a small restaurant near NYU's campus called _Sevilla_. The centuries old building was originally a carriage house, turned Irish tavern, turned Spanish restaurant. Maya smiled at the classically "New York" story. They dined on Manchego, Chorizo, and Paella until they were uncomfortably full while talking about which art classes Maya should enroll in. After the two declined the _postres_ (deserts) offered Josh paid the bill (Maya didn't even protest this time) and they departed back into the night.

"I'm so full" Maya said with an uncomfortable grunt "That place was AMAZING."

"I didn't even tell you why I picked it yet, Hart" Josh said with a chuckle.

"There was a reason other than the crazy delicious food?"

He smirked "Isn't there always? I'm a Matthews. There's _always_ more to the story."

Maya rolled her eyes but squeezed his arm while they continued walking, urging him to continue.

"Fine, Maya, but be warned. You're about to swoon. This is a 'swoon-age' alert. I'll catch you though don't worry."

She responded "Well _someone_ is pretty confident aren't they? Ok, Matthews, make me _swoon_."

"Ok, so _Sevilla_ is Spanish for Seville, which is a city…where?" Josh prompted her.

"Spain, duh. You've shown me your Europe pictures like a million times and Spain was your favorite" Maya's face lit up "Josh, you wanted me to experience Spain? That's so sweet. TOTALLY swoon worthy."

She stood on her tip toes and kissed his cheek.

"Not done yet, but good to know" he continued "Yes, one part of why I chose it was because it was my favorite country to visit, and I wanted you to experience it. Also, Spain has special meaning because its where your second keychain is from."

"Awe, I forgot you got this in Madrid" she smiled looking at the glass painting hanging off her apartment keys "That's right…Picasso was from Spain. _Guernica_ is in Spain. You're such a lovable dork, but I'm swooning even more, Josh, I promise."

"Still not done, Maya" he said, teasing her "I want to talk about Seville. It has meaning for us too."

"Why's that?" she asked.

"Well, historically it's the place where Ferdinand Magellan departed from for his first big voyage. You know who he is, right?"

"In middle school I _may_ have said 'First bull with a last name'" to which Josh laughed "but yes, he was the first man to circumnavigate the globe. Your brother taught us that. It led to this whole big lesson about 'not falling off the horizon' and reaching for impossible things…I think. Don't tell him I was listening as much as I was. It would hurt my cred. Do you get notes on these lessons or something?"

"Maya, growing up I was the 'guinea pig' for _all_ of his lessons. He's been teaching me about life since I was a toddler. I had Cory AND Mr. Feeny keeping me in line."

"Well, they did a pretty good job, in my opinion" she said as she squeezed his arm "But, back to Magellan."

"Right. Magellan. So this guy did what so many people thought was impossible, right? Proved Earth was round and all that? But his journey started in Seville. I wanted _ours_ to start there too."

Maya stood still, processing what he said "Josh-"

"I know there were times we both thought this was impossible, for a million different reasons. We weren't the only ones, either. But here we are."

"Here we are" she agreed slowly with a slow nod.

Josh gently reached over and tilted her chin up so he could meet her gaze " _We're_ starting _our_ journey towards _our_ impossible thing… _us_."

"Us…" she whispered dazed while tears pooled her eyes "I'm okay with that."

Josh let out a relieved breath "Okay then. Good."

"Good…" she repeated softly again, then shook her head to return to the here-and-now.

Maya moved forward and caught him in a tight hug, burying her face in his chest. When she looked up at him, her feet slipped on the icy ground and she stumbled. Holding onto his tall frame kept her steady.

"Well I _did_ warn you" Josh smiled as he held her tightly, their noses brushing, earning a laugh from her.

"Totally swooning right now, Uncle Boing. You delivered."

"And, as promised, I was here to catch you. I will _always_ be here to catch-"

Josh didn't get to finish his thought because Maya grabbed his face and pulled it to her own for a long kiss, but he was pretty sure she got the point.

 _ **A/N "First bull with a last name!" Sorry I couldn't resist. Did lots of research on NYC restaurants near NYU's campus and this one spoke to me… It brought back memories from my travels in Spain…sigh…**_

 _ **I speak Spanish relatively well but when I traveled in Madrid the only words I needed to know were: Manchego, Pan, Chorizo, Postres, Rioja, and Sangria…oh, and Siesta of course :)**_ _ **I was in college, so don't judge!**_

 _ **Up Next: A chapter I had to have my friend read first for reassurance, because I was worried it was too…um…caliente? Let's just say things…progress…**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N- Here is the next part of the date!**_

 _ **Dedicated to Katie, who read this chapter when I worried to was too…*you know*…and she assured me it was just the right amount of…*you know* (blushes)**_

Part VII

Josh led Maya down the stairs and they stood on the patio outside Topanga's.

"Josh, what are you doing? The bakery closes at 8!" Maya said.

"I know a guy…or girl, in this case" Josh said as he unlocked the door "Don't tell your Mom I accidently called her a guy, okay? I'm on her good side right now."

Maya giggled "My Mom helped you?"

"Of course she did. My charm is irresistible to Hart women. Now sit there for a sec ond I need to get the lights."

Maya slowly unwound her scarf and removed her gloves and winter coat. When she placed them on one of the window seats by the door she was suddenly surrounded by ambient lighting. Josh had cut on all the floor lamps and rope lights, but left the brighter overhead lights off. The result was an almost candlelight glow.

"Josh, what is this?" Maya turned around slowly.

"Well I didn't want to cut on the over-heads and risk people thinking the place is open. Besides, this is much more romantic."

Maya sat on her usual chair in the area she and her friends had claimed as their "spot" years earlier. Josh walked over with a guitar in hand and sat beside her, propping it against the coffee table.

Maya looked at him skeptically "Where did you get that?"

"Didn't we already discuss who my helper was for the evening? She just so happens to live with you and has access to your hobbies, including this one" Josh said as he pointed at the guitar.

"Mom? Josh she doesn't know anything about this stuff!" Maya argued.

"Well, as an NYU student, I know that an important part of college life is the 'Open Mic Night' experience, and I'm determined for you to get an accurate take on things before you join us."

Ever since Riley had gifted her with her great-grandmother Mae's guitar in 7th grade Maya would occasionally strum some chords, but her usual creative outlet remained her art. Sure, sometimes she would try to sound out a particular song, and she had even gone to YouTube for a few lessons when she was bored, but no one knew about that. Did they?

"Josh, I don't really play. Music isn't my thing."

"Hmmm. I seem to recall a similar attitude about art and you certainly proved yourself wrong there. Next objection?"

"Seriously, stop. I'm not good. It's embarrassing" she shook her head.

"Show me some chords" Josh requested as he handed her the guitar and sat behind her.

"Why?" Maya asked hesitantly.

"Trust me" Josh smiled then said softly "I can play, remember?"

Maya wanted to protest, but the intoxicating feel of his arms around her as she held the instrument rendered speech _incredibly_ difficult. He placed his fingers above and through her own as an instructor would, which created a tingling sensation as she registered both the feel of the strings and his touch. They played a few basic chords together, and she realized he could tell she had vastly underestimated her abilities. Through the corner of her eye she noticed his small smile grow as he learned how skilled she actually was at the guitar.

Maya could feel his warm breath inhale and exhale gently through her hair while they made music together. Occasionally Josh would nudge the side of her check with his own affectionately. Once he had realized how she mastered the instrument without his instruction, he set his mind to more… productive pursuits.

Sitting behind her was to Josh almost hallucinogenic. He felt himself transported to some alternate reality of soft skin and honey scented blonde hair, where melodic tunes floated through the atmosphere. He released his left hand from hers then brushed her hair gently to the side, baring the side of her face and neck. He was only a man, and the site of such temptation was impossible to resist, he reasoned.

Josh began with a purposeful and meaningful kiss to the sweet spot revealed where her shoulder and neck met in enticing curvature. He followed with feather light kisses leading up her neck to her left ear. She leaned back against him subconsciously to grant him better access.

"You're being pretty distracting for someone so desperate to hear me play" she said shakily with her eyes closed. She had ceased playing the guitar the moment his lips met her neck.

"Hmmm desperate" he whispered as his journey finally ended with a soft blow into her ear, causing her to shudder "Play for me Maya, please?" he whispered.

Josh slowly leaned back, creating some separation. Her body protested the distance and leaned back against him as if they were magnets, incapable of resisting the powerful force between them. He wrapped his arms around her.

"That was a dirty trick" Maya said breathlessly.

Josh nuzzled her head with his nose, holding her "When were we ever playing fair, Hart?"

Maya chuckled "Okay, Matthews. I cry 'Uncle'…Boing. But there is one condition."

"Anything" Josh answered confidently.

"You play first" she challenged.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **A/N Not my typical kind of writing, but teenagers left to their own devices tell their own kind of story.**_

 _ **Hopefully it wasn't terribly cheesy and wasn't too…*you know* Because there is more…*you know* coming soon. Lots more…**_

 _ **Hoping y'all get what I mean by *you know* (blushes)**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N Thanks for taking it easy for me on the last chapter! Writing about *you know* is new to me so validation helps for sure… Here is some adorable fluff for y'all!**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

Part VIII

" _There is one condition."_

" _Anything" Josh answered confidently._

" _You play first" she challenged._

Josh gave a slow nod and sat himself upright, carrying her with him and separating himself so he could face her. He looked in her eyes and saw the challenge there; she was trying to call his bluff. Well then…Challenge Accepted.

"You sure you can handle it? I did make you swoon earlier."

Maya smirked "Well partially, the icy sidewalk was a nice 'wingman' for you, though."

"I'm serious here! We've already acted out a number of clichés today. Me becoming the 'rock star of your dreams' may push the limit, Hart."

"Clichés?" she asked curiously.

"For one, you were the complete embodiment of the 'Hot Nurse' earlier."

Maya nodded and responded with a devilish tone "Of course I was. You were delirious and at my mercy, Joshua."

"Bringing me to cliché number two, 'Florence Nightingale Syndrome'" Josh added "I was your patient and you were in complete control of my livelihood, so of course you couldn't help but fall for me."

"Very psychological there, Sigmund Freud" Maya smiled.

Josh reached out and took the guitar from her saying "Add those clichés to the swoon-age on the sidewalk, and we may be fringing on bursting the bubble."

Maya had to admit he looked pretty irresistible holding that guitar, but her defiant streak resisted yielding the higher ground.

"I don't know, Joshua. I don't think you have the capability of being the 'rock star of my dreams' because, well, that's a _pretty_ tall order..."

Josh gave her a knowing grin before strumming a few chords of the song he had _perhaps_ learned for this very occasion. It was cheesy and he knew his friends would give him crap for being so obscenely lovey-dovey, but 'Challenge Accepted' he reminded himself. Besides, she was worth it.

"Watch me."

The confident tone behind his words caused a shiver to run through her the same way his lips had just moments ago. She settled back in her chair to watch him play, eager to see his offering.

"You know, Maya, there is a reason these 'Open Mic Night' events are so popular; they show you at your most vulnerable. You, your talent, the audience…it's a pretty scary thing to do. And if I am going to ask you for your vulnerability, then you should have mine" Josh said sincerely.

"Enough talk, Matthews. Play!" Maya said, sensing his nerves and subconscious attempts at delaying his performance.

Josh smiled "Okay. This was a song that I heard about from Jasmine. Her taste in music is a bit more…'Top40' than mine. About a year ago I was third wheeling on a date she had with Andrew and this song came on in her car. She was like 'Josh! This is totally you and Maya!'"

"Really?" Maya asked. Had his friends been so aware of them?

"Really. She's been your biggest cheerleader for years, Maya. So I listened to the lyrics and it did kind of fit, and it wasn't too difficult to learn how to play. This is for you, Maya" Josh added as he strummed the guitar, beginning his performance.

 _I promise that one day I'll be around  
I'll keep you safe  
I'll keep you sound_

 _Right now it's pretty crazy  
And I don't know how to stop or slow it down_

 _And hey  
I know there are some things we need to talk about_

 _And I can't stay  
So let me hold you for a little longer now, yeah_

 _And take a piece of my heart  
And make it all your own  
So when we are apart  
You'll never be alone, you'll never be alone_

 _You'll never be alone  
When you miss me close your eyes  
I may be far but never gone_

 _When you fall sleep tonight just remember that we lay under the same stars_

 _And hey  
I know there are some things we need to talk about_

 _And I can't stay  
Just let me hold you for a little longer now_

 _And take a piece of my heart  
And make it all your own  
So when we are apart  
You'll never be alone, never be alone_

Josh finished and sheepishly looked at Maya, who sat frozen with watery eyes.

Sappy didn't come easily to Maya Hart, but she was touched by his performance and the meaning behind the song.

"So…fantasy fulfilled?" he cleared his throat and asked self-consciously.

Maya smiled and reached out to hold his hand "Fantasy fulfilled. Consider me your first official fangirl. But, be warned, I may fight off the other fangirls with a large stick."

"I don't want fangirls, Maya. I just want you" he responded with meaning, setting the guitar on the ground.

Maya couldn't help herself from launching herself at him. After all, she was only human, and he definitely followed through on becoming the 'rock star of her dreams.' For quite a while she was happy to show him with her lips and her touch how much his performance and vulnerability meant to her.

Josh's one fleeting, coherent thought in the midst of those heated kisses and touches was that with _this_ kind of response from Maya, he may need to borrow some of Jasmine's playlists in the very near future.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **A/N The song is "Never Be Alone" by Shawn Mendes. One of my readers (giggles that I have READERS like I'm a big deal or something) aford416 told me she heard the song and was reminded of the Loophole series. It was kind of the biggest compliment EVER, not gonna lie.**_

 _ **Uriah and Sabrina both are musicians in real life so of course I have this head-canon where Josh and Maya perform for each other. Uriah is very talented, but his music is a little too "Country" (my fave) for our 'Philadelphia Hipster' Josh. This song fits his range too :)**_

 _ **Up next: A little bit of *you know* and then Maya is met with a challenge of her own…**_

 _ **I stink at fanart but kinda wish I didn't. Anyone wanna help a girl out? I would love an original cover or image for my stories but...yeah...not my talent LOL**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N Happy Birthday, Joshua Gabriel Matthews! I remember when you were born early and I cried like a baby when we wondered if you would make it (Josh fans, check out those episodes of BMW; they are some of my favorites). In honor of Josh's birthday and Valentine's Day, of course, here is a little JoshxMaya fluff…**_

 _ **One Million Thank You's to Brown Eyes Parker for creating the amazing cover image for this story. I am in awe! Man I wish I could do stuff, lol. Holly you are amazing! **_

_**Enjoy!**_

Part IX

Maya wasn't _purposefully_ trying to distract Josh with her actions, but the result was the same either way. He knew she would love the song, but he didn't predict her… _enthusiastic_ response. Maya reached for his shoulders and swiftly swung one leg over his lap so she was fully facing him, her legs on either side of his. She grabbed both sides of his face and leaned down to kiss him thoroughly. As he held her waist and kissed her back passionately, Maya's upcoming musical number became the farthest thing from his mind.

Her lips moved down to his neck and he was able to open his eyes long enough to spot the guitar propped against the coffee table. It was amazing he was able to form a coherent thought at all, with the girl of his dreams literally on his lap and fulfilling every one of his fantasies, but somehow rationality grabbed him for a second or two.

"Wait, Maya, wait" he said, as he grabbed her hands and pulled them in front of his chest, effectively separating their bodies.

"What?" Maya asked breathlessly.

Josh lost his thoughts for a moment. Her blonde hair was tousled, her cheeks were flushed, and her lips were swollen. He registered her rapid heartbeat and the quick rise and fall of her chest as she caught her breath. He had never seen anyone look so perfect. He was utterly dumbstruck by her, and it took every ounce of strength to resist the urge to pull her face towards his own and continue.

The silence and exacting gaze from him caused her to feel confused and insecure. Had she gone too far? True, she was… _straddling_ him, one might say, but she was caught up in the moment. Surely he didn't think her actions were too wanton. He was an experienced college man, and she was a mere high schooler in love with the same boy since she was thirteen.

Seeing the slight doubt in her eyes snapped Josh back to reality. Her eyes glanced to either side of his face as she avoided his stare. He wondered how she could possibly doubt the hold she had on him, especially here in this moment when he was beneath her, completely at her mercy. Couldn't she see that she was the one with the power here? That he was grasping at straws to keep from pushing the boundaries too far, too fast? How could she not know?

"You're beautiful. You know that?" he said dumbly. What an idiot, he thought to himself. That's the best he could come up with? At least the obvious statement was enough to draw her gaze back to his.

She let out a relieved breath "Then, what's the problem?"

Josh leaned back as she reached for him "And _you_ called _me_ a distraction."

"What? Oh…" Maya said as Josh nodded to her left and she registered the guitar in the corner of her eye.

"Yup" Josh said, grabbing her waist and lifting her from on top of him, placing her back in her original seat "Open Mic Night isn't over yet, Gorgeous."

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **This was originally part of the next chapter, but I wanted to post a little something in honor of Valentine's Day and Josh's birthday!**_

 _ **Up Next: Maya's turn…**_


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N Here is the continuation of the first "official" date! For those wondering, the episodes of 'Boy Meets World' that feature baby Joshua I referenced are (Season 6) 'My Baby Valentine' and 'Resurrection' have your tissues ready!**_

 _ **Dedicated to Katie for reasons you will read about after you finish the chapter :)**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

Part X

Josh saw the nervous look in her eyes and reached over to place a hand on her knee "You'll be great, Maya."

"No, _you_ were great, Josh. How can I follow that?"

"This isn't a competition. It's about being vulnerable, remember? Isn't there some song that has made you think of us?" Her eyes sparked in recognition, confirming what he said "I know you. Music and art speak to you. Just… play."

Maya strummed the instrument and made the proper adjustments for her song. She had never _really_ played for anyone. Sure, from time to time she would fool around on the guitar with her friends in her room, and there was even an occasional joking song about Lucas, but she had never played like _this_ before.

But he was right. Music did speak to her, almost as much as the visual arts did. How could it not, when her heart ached for him the way it had practically her entire life? There were so many songs that stood out to her and reminded her of him. She had only learned a handful of them, and one in particular always came back to her mind.

They had always been in a state of waiting: for her to grow, for a loophole, for permission, for acceptance. It was a constant cycle of being free to love each other for brief moments in time, followed by stretches of distance and denying themselves each other for one reason or another. And through it all she never mastered the doubt that crept in whenever they were apart. Would he wait for her? Would she be enough? How could she be?

"Maya" he squeezed her knee, bringing her back to reality "Are you okay? You don't have to play if you don't want to, but you don't need to be scared."

"Scared" Maya repeated softly, the word perfectly describing the emotion coursing through her when the uncertainties and disbelief came all too frequently "No, I need to do this. You're right" she said, beginning her acoustic performance.

 _Tonight you're mine completely  
You give your love so sweetly  
Tonight the light of love is in your eyes  
Will you still love me tomorrow?_

 _Is this a lasting treasure_  
 _Or just a moment's pleasure?_  
 _Can I believe the magic of your sighs?_  
 _Will you still love me tomorrow?_

 _Tonight with words unspoken_  
 _You say that I'm your only one_  
 _But will my heart be broken_  
 _When the night meets the morning sun?_

 _I'd like to know that your love_  
 _Is love I can be sure of_  
 _So tell me now, then I won't ask again_  
 _Will you still love me tomorrow?_  
 _Will you still love me tomorrow?_

She had her eyes closed for most of the song, lost in the emotion of performing and the meaning behind it. She slowly opened them to find him looking towards the guitar with a dazed and vague expression.

She placed the instrument on the ground and turned toward him, filling the silence by awkwardly saying "Well, um-"

"Maya…" he said softly interrupting her "Of _course_ I will."

Tears pooled in her eyes that she tried to brush off with humor "I wasn't being _literal_ , you know…"

Josh reached forward, placed his hands on the back of her neck, and gently pulled her towards him, kissing her lips tenderly. He pulled back and rested his forehead against hers.

"Yes, you were. And I'm sorry you ever doubted. I'm so so sorry, Maya" Josh whispered.

Maya shrugged off his apology "It was bound to be that way, Josh. It's not as if I ever left you with any doubt about my feelings. And I don't resent that you had to reject me those times. You did what was right."

"Then why did it hurt you, if it's what was right?" Josh asked "I hate that I made you feel that way…'rejected'. If I could change it I would…in a second, Maya."

"I know you would. But I wouldn't. We're here now. That's all that matters. Right?"

Josh leaned back and let out a deep breath "Well still. I have a LOT of work ahead of me."

"Work?" she asked confused.

"To make up for all that. I mean, I am going to put a _lot_ of time in here" he said with a smirk.

"Oh really? A 'lot of time' you say?" Maya asked, sensing his meaning. She leaned back and snuggled against his side, while he wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

"Yup. We're talking late nights, overtime, weekends, holidays…"

"Hmmm. You're going to need to be pretty dedicated then" she said smiling.

"I am, Maya. I've never been more dedicated to anything else my entire life" Josh said sincerely.

"Okay" Maya agreed, relaxing into him while letting all the tension and anxiety float away.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **Song first performed by 'The Shirelles' and is one of my all-time favorites. I wanted a cross between the Amy Winehouse and Norah Jones versions, but with a guitar obviously, and I FOUND it with Jacqui Naylor on youtube! Woohoo! Check it out. Sabrina has that soulful sound; I can just hear Maya's vulnerability in my head…**_

 _ **My very best GMW friend onceuponatime2011 (ouat2011 on twitter, instagram and youtube) did an AMAZING Rucas video to a version of this song that makes me cry like a baby every time... like all of her videos do... check them out!**_

 _ **Up Next: The end of the date…what happens next?**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N This one is dedicated to every one of you who ever sent me a review. I am humbled and honored you spent your valuable time reading and reviewing this little story.**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

Part XI

Josh locked the bakery and headed up the stairs behind Maya to walk her home. The two held hands as they slowly made their way through the Village. Once they got to her apartment Josh pulled Maya into a warm hug and swayed with her on the street to music only two of them could hear.

"Well, I think our first _official_ date went pretty well, don't you? I mean, if I do say so myself" Josh said smugly.

Maya giggled "Very well. I am positively 'swooned' out."

Josh let go of her to do a victory fist pump that made her laugh until her stomach hurt. As she calmed down she reached for his hands.

"Worth the wait?" Maya asked, meeting his gaze through her long lashes slowly tilting her head up.

Josh pulled her towards him and said "Always" before crashing his lips into hers.

After what could have been minutes or hours they pulled apart from each other to catch their breath.

"Well I guess I set the bar pretty high. Second date is going to be even better though, guaranteed" Josh said confidently.

"Second date?" Maya asked confused.

"Yeah, Wednesday. It's Valentine's day. Of course I want to go out with you. I haven't had a girlfriend on Valentine's day since, like, high school."

"But-"

"And please no cracks about it being my birthday. I do NOT want a birthday celebration. Oh, that reminds me I have to give you your birthday gift, Miss 'Don't give it to me until I can actually enjoy it' Hart."

Josh excitedly reached into his pocket and pulled out a little jewelry pouch. Maya was still processing everything he had said but was able to pull the pouch open, revealing a heart charm he had engraved with 'Always' for her bracelet and a larger keychain with the 'I Heart NY' logo in the classic red and black print.

"Josh-"

"I know I know, Lucas got Riley a charm for her birthday. But I got mine WAY before he did, AND I got it engraved. Great boyfriends think alike?"

"Boyfriend-"Maya repeated.

"And then obviously I had to do a keychain. I almost forgot that part, but it seemed wrong to mess with tradition, you know?"

"Josh, stop for a second!" Maya demanded impatiently.

"What?" he froze "Do you not like it? I figured we say 'Always' all the time. 'Maybe always can be our always' Maya."

The cheesy take on a line from one of her favorite books caused her to unfurrow her brow and smile, as she nudged him and said 'goof-ball' under her breath.

They walked over to the steps to her building and sat down.

"I love them, Josh. I'm just confused. What were you saying about Wednesday?"

Josh nodded in realization "I am such a tool for not asking properly. Maya Penelope Hart, will you be my Valentine?"

The goofy grin on his face almost made her forget her confusion "But Josh, Wednesday isn't part of the holiday. It's a school day."

"Yes… I learned the days of the week when I was little too, Gorgeous. I promise to have you home in plenty of time before your curfew. Scouts honor. I need to stay on your mom's good side."

Maya shook her head "No, that's not what I meant. It's not part of a loophole."

"Ah" Josh dropped his head back realizing why she looked so confused while he was rambling on.

"So…yeah" Maya said awkwardly.

"Maya, don't you think we're beyond the loophole now?" Josh asked, taking her hand in his.

Maya stared back at him, stunned "But, but I'm in high school and you're in college. You're going to be twenty, Josh!"

"So?" he shrugged his shoulders.

"So… doesn't that make a difference?"

"What, are you worried I will be a lousy prom date?" he joked.

"You know what I mean, Josh" Maya said letting out a shaky breath.

Josh looked at her seriously "We aren't those kids anymore, Maya. You aren't some thirteen year old and I'm not some stupid teenage boy who says all the wrong things and hurts you over and over. I don't want to be that boy anymore. We've grown. I think we're ready. Do you?"

Maya's mouth gapped "I don't…I don't know. Josh, what if we don't work outside the loophole? What if, in reality, it doesn't work? I don't want to lose you."

Josh wrapped his arm around Maya's shoulder and puller her to him, kissing her temple.

"You won't. Ever. Besides, we already proved we belong together. Each loophole was like a _trial_ relationship, right? And I basically had to go through a _trial_ with your mom and my brother to get their buy-in, right?"

"You're seriously pulling out legal terminology right now?" Maya asked.

"It's our thing! And the last definition of the word is my favorite. What was that story where that lady fought off other guys for 20 years waiting for her husband to come home?"

Maya rolled her eyes " _The Trials of Odysseus_ , you dork. I should never have told you Riley's romantic notions."

"Ah, but you DID tell me which means, by EVERY definition of the word, you and I work, Maya. Through the loopholes, through the in-betweens, we made it. That's a lot of evidence that we're ready, don't you think?"

"You really want to be with me? For real this time?" Maya asked hesitantly.

"More than anything" Josh said sincerely "So…what's the verdict?"

 _ **The End**_

 _ **There it is, folks- the end of the Loophole. They don't need it anymore. Thank you so much for sticking with me as this one-shot turned into a 5 part series with 2 spin off stories. It's such a bizarre feeling to let go of it, but your support and positivity has been AMAZING.**_

 _ **This is NOT a cliffhanger ending. I wanted you all to imagine your own story for these two…however…**_

 _ **I DO have a one-shot epilogue I may post if there is enough interest, but THIS is where I originally ended the series. Just let me know!**_


End file.
